Trump sends a message with special forces deployment: Military muscle or political theater?

Political tension between the United States and Venezuela continues to simmer, with President Trump flexing U.S. military muscle in full view of the South American nation.

Since earlier this month, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the “Night Stalkers,” has been training in Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean island just 6.8 miles off the northeast coast of Venezuela and approximately 500 miles from Caracas.

Who are the Night Stalkers?

The “Night Stalkers” are an elite army unit which operates attack helicopters and is capable of deploying some of the U.S.’s most highly trained special operations forces, including Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, and Delta Force personnel.

Defense expert Mark Cancian, with the Center for Strategic International Studies, told the New York Post the unit is likely being used to identify, target, and apprehend drug smugglers leaving Venezuela by sea, either by destroying or seizing vessels.

U.S. military strikes drug vessels

The U.S. military says it has already destroyed six alleged drug vessels off Venezuela’s coast. “It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known narcotrafficking transit route,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday following the most recent show of force.

In addition to efforts to curb drug smuggling, Trump has accused Venezuela of “emptying their prisons into the United States of America.” He confirmed he has authorized covert CIA action inside Venezuela.

Potential on-the-ground operations

Beyond monitoring the seas, Cancian suggests the “Night Stalkers” could deploy special operations personnel into Venezuela to strike cartel or regime targets, though he does not expect this due to the “risk of casualties or capture.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose regime the White House considers “illegitimate,” has pledged to defend his country with a militia of “millions” and said the population was “ready for combat” during a public appearance last week.

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